DISCLAIMER: This standalone article is related to VoxPop Davao’s 2-part series of its mining special report. The first part explains the division within the Mandaya community and the issues surrounding tribal representation.
THE dispute within the Mandaya community in Davao Oriental is increasingly centered on who has the legitimate authority to represent the tribe and how mining royalties from ancestral lands should be managed, as tribal leaders call for greater accountability and an impartial process in the renewal of mining agreements.
In an incident report submitted following a July 22 Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) Community Consultation Assembly, leaders representing the recognized clans of Macambol and Cabuaya outlined measures they said are necessary to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and ensure that future consultations are transparent and free from undue influence.
The report was signed by leaders representing the eight recognized clans of Macambol and Cabuaya, including Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Romeo Mapinogos and Datu Simplicio Mendoza Jr.
Among their key calls was respect for the implementation of the 2014 National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) En Banc Decision recognizing the five clans, with any validation to be anchored on established genealogy and customary laws.
They also called for all future assemblies to be held within the ancestral domain to ensure genuine participation and transparency, as well as the creation of an independent and impartial FPIC team free from bias or conflicts of interest.
The leaders further sought impartial security arrangements, including the deployment of Philippine National Police personnel from outside Davao Oriental, which they said would help prevent intimidation during community consultations.
"The legitimate IPS, representing the five clans of Macambol and Cabuaya, continues to uphold its position of accountability first before the release of the royalty," the tribal leaders said in their submitted report, underscoring that the protection of their ancestral domain and the future of succeeding generations must come before any renewal of mining agreements.
The July 22 consultation was convened in connection with the proposed renewal of the FPIC-Memorandum of Agreement involving Hallmark Mining Corporation and Austral-Asia Link Mining Corporation, both managed by Asiaticus Management Corporation (Amcor).
The assembly was intended to discuss the renewal process and included an orientation on the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act and FPIC procedures, a community census, validation of Indigenous elders and leaders, and identification of the appropriate decision-making process.
The dispute comes as mining activities continue to provide livelihoods to approximately 1,800 mine workers and another 3,000 people employed in related industries.
For the Mandaya community, however, the issue goes beyond the economic benefits generated by mining.
At the center of the dispute is the question of who has legitimate authority to speak for the tribe, how royalties from their ancestral domain should be accounted for and managed, and whether decisions affecting their community are being made through a legitimate and transparent process.
The tribal leaders maintained that accountability must come before the release of royalties, emphasizing that the protection of their ancestral domain and the interests of succeeding generations should remain paramount in any discussion on the renewal of mining agreements.
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